About the 1st XI

Heytesbury and Sutton Veny First XI travelled to Division 3 league leaders, Bath Hospitals, last Saturday. After a much improved team effort, HSVCC lost by 7 wickets.

Hospitals play their home matches at the beautiful Prior Park College grounds overlooking the City of Bath. At this time of year, the pupils have broken up and the college is populated by foreign school children busily learning English and “going round the outside” as their American tutors call out. For the visiting villagers, Skipper Barnes won the toss and elected to bat on what appeared a very good batting surface.

HSVCC openers started positively but Kitley was caught and bowled in the fourth over.

Both Grant and Reid played some wonderful strokes. Grant said before the game, that “this is a job for me, so everyone just follow me”, but he raced to his fifty, punishing any bad balls to the boundary. Read played a well crafted innings before being bowled for 46. It was a sad end to a wonderful second wicket stand of 135 runs.

Wagstaff joined Grant, and before he had even scored a run, called Grant through for a single to short third man. A run that was far too optimistic , and despite a Napoleonic effort, Grant was run out at the bowlers end for 75. Wagstaff was then joined by Kieren Robson(27no). Going tit for tat, both batted well and the running between the wickets was cooking-they certainly had turned on the gas judged by the speed of their running between the wickets. Wagstaff (41) was run out by an excellent direct throw. Robson senior then joined his son to complete the HSVCC innings on 253-5

After a fantastic tea, HSVCC knew they had to keep the run rate down in the first few overs. Bath Hospital openers had other ideas as Boyce (37) and Fair raced to 88 off the first 16 overs. Boyce fell to an outstanding one handed catch by Rob Robson at extra cover. Walker batted well for a quick fire 43. Dyer 40 not out continued to support opening batsman Fair to enable him to reach a well deserved century.

Hospitals were always in command with a superior run rate throughout the chase. Barnes eventually dismissed Fair for 112. Hospitals eventually hit the winning runs in the 42nd over.

It was an encouraging return to form for many HSVCC batsmen. A good sign. Next week HSVCC entertain old rivals Wroughton Wranglers a must win game to lift them from the bottom of the table, writes Rob Barnes.

Saturday 16th July

A Long Time Coming. H & SV Record first Home Win.

Heytesbury and Sutton Veny First XI were hosts to old rivals Wroughton Wranglers. It was a must win game for the home side and they did so in impressive fashion as they won by 78 runs.

H&SVCC won the toss and decided to bat. Openers Kitley and Pratt batted sensibly for a 40 run partnership as the Wroughton openers bowled tightly. Pratt and Kitley soon fell when there was a change of bowling attack. This gave the in form Grant and rejuvenated Wagstaff a chance to build on the secure start. Both batted with confidence and punished any stray bowling. After building an 83 run partnership in 14 overs, the pair looked set for big scores. Unfortunately, Wagstaff (33) was bowled by Vaughan as he tried to rotate the strike. Grant (43) was bowled too by Vaughan in his following over with the score at 129-4.

With 10 overs left, H&SVCC had to step on the gas to make a respectable and challenging total. The partnership to do this was the father and son combination of Kieren and Rob Robson. Kieren Robson played with confidence and waited for anything short on his favoured leg side. He soon raced to 35 mainly coming from 4s and one 6 (down on one knees and drilling the ball flat over deep midweek into the trees). The partnership was worth a valuable 75 in the just of 9 overs.

Rob Robson ended the innings on 30 not out and Leach hit 15 from the last 5 balls (one of which was a huge six into the grave yard of McMeeking’s first ball of the last over). This helped the home side reach 211-5 from their 45 overs.

After another superb tea supplied by Mrs Barnes, her fourth of the season, due to high demand, the home side were feeling very positive (and quite full, thanks to the scrumptious sandwiches and yummy cakes, washed down with mugs of hot tea).

Bowling is all about partnerships and it was the experienced combination of Barnes and Wagstaff that opened the bowling. Barnes made an early break through as Williams was caught superbly by Ben Evans at square leg. Wagstaff soon got himself in the action as he clean bowled old rival Mike Evans for 1. Barnes then struck again, this time clean bowling the useful Taylor for 10 who had gone down on one knee looking to out do Leach. Wroughton were in trouble at 50-3.

Wagstaff continued to bowl well throughout his 9 over spell. Barnes was replaced by Nick Leach. What followed was a fantastic display of bowling but also fantastic fielding. Leach frustrated the batsmen and Wroughton had no answers. Leach’s first wicket was McMeeking, who was caught by wicket keeper Kieran Robson. An amazing finger tip catch.

More wickets followed for Leach as Adam Pratt and Jacob Abbott caught opening batsman Lawrence and the free hitting Moncrief.

Leach’s spell was supported by the gentle pace of Rob Robson(2-22) at the other end. Leach finished with an impressive 5 wicket haul conceding 33 runs. Wroughton were bowled out eventually in the 33rd over for 132, writes Rob Barnes.

The win lifted HSVCC away from the bottom of Division 3. A massive all round team effort that was celebrated in style during the Club’s BBQ that evening.